It was as quality as usual in ST2. Sound gets trapped badly by the roof though, as well as the tv altering the sound for some of the chants.

I reckon the people who mock the atmosphere in OT would be shocked if they spent a game in ST2.

Nice to hear the Wenger paedo song immediately drowned out by "United, United" straight away, although it did get going again at another stage. Could barely hear the away fans, but never really do from ST2 bar the odd one.

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3,000 or so making the effort in ST2 doesn't make OT's general atmosphere any more defendable - you get sections like that at most grounds.

Half the time and more it's just as dead as the rest of the Prem grounds.

I was in ST1 this time and thought the stretty was great and Marseille were consistent throughout. Regarding the minutes silence I'm pretty sure the majority of French fans were quiet apart from the odd few twats.

I'm pretty sure the majority of French fans were quiet apart from the odd few twats.

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Yes, was just the odd neanderthal exhibitionist shouting out.

What I also find stupid, and a bit annoying, are people on the other side of the ground (eg where I was) who respond to the people shouting out but going "shhhh".
I mean, how is that going to help? He's not even going to hear you, and you're just going to cause the silence to be disturbed further for people around you. Fair enough if you're next to somebody who makes a noise, tell them to shut up, but how is it your job form 100 metres away?

Yeah stretty seemed dead from the upper tier in North stand. Our end seemed ok but on the whole it was one of the weirdest atmospheres ive been part of.

It seemed everytime a song started, the ball was given away in a silly situation and the crowd got worried or nervous. It seemed to start going after 1-0 up until they started getting more of the ball. And then between 2-0 and 2-1

3,000 or so making the effort in ST2 doesn't make OT's general atmosphere any more defendable - you get sections like that at most grounds.

Half the time and more it's just as dead as the rest of the Prem grounds.

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It does though. For starter's it's more than 3k. I believe the capacity of ST2 is 6.5k, the bulk of whom, barring the extreme sides sometimes, stand and sing for 90 minutes. A common phrase about the OT atmosphere is "75k gloryhunting daytrippers sat on their arses and not making a sound". When in reality we have as much, if not more people singing than anyone else, definitely more when ST1 and K get involved which to be fair they do fairly frequently.

The problems are:

a) The size of the stadium and factions of our support: even with all those making the effort, the stadium is huge and the noise often gets lost, especially with the thousands of more casual fans sitting on their arses.

b) The noise rarely carries over on TV: I've frequently been at OT when I thought the atmosphere was excellent and I watch the rerun and it seems very quiet. Often they mute the microphones if there's risqué songs, or play with the levels to make the away fans seem louder and have it a more two-sided exchange. Can work vice versa too. I know for a fact that ESPN muted the microphones around our away fans at Bloomfield Road, and put loads around the home fans, both because they knew we'd have sweary songs and because they wanted to play up the intimidating atmosphere spiel. They got complaints about this and if you watch a match at BR now you'll hear the away fans a lot more, that's why Chelsea sounded very loud the other week.

c) The roof over the Stretford End holds in a lot of the noise that Tier 2 produces, so much so that you rarely hear it from even K or East Tier 2 apart from the odd song.

shit atmosphere in the 2nd half, ajax fans were very vocal and never stop singing throught-out the whole game.

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Ajax fans were incredible to be fair. I was in the north stand and I reckon only about a few dozen participated, the rest just sat in silence. South stand wasn't much better. Stretty at least tried. Pretty depressing to hear Ajax fans chanting that our fans are shit and no reply.

Absolutely dour, embarrassed to say I was a part of that tonight. A good 75% of the crowd there tonight have absolutely no right to step inside a football stadium ever again. The United "fans" have let the team down tonight.

After that dreck I'm seriously considering opting out of the home leg vs Bilbao, which is somewhat sad considering I'm going away there the following week. Having stood there watching a bunch of half-and-half scarf wearing, replica shirted, silent, programme waving IDIOTS heaping further shame on the reputation of United fans; I have absolutely no desire to part with £34 again on Monday for the next game, and I might not.

Absolutely dour, embarrassed to say I was a part of that tonight. A good 75% of the crowd there tonight have absolutely no right to step inside a football stadium ever again. The United "fans" have let the team down tonight.

After that dreck I'm seriously considering opting out of the home leg vs Bilbao, which is somewhat sad considering I'm going away there the following week. Having stood there watching a bunch of half-and-half scarf wearing, replica shirted, silent, programme waving IDIOTS heaping further shame on the reputation of United fans; I have absolutely no desire to part with £34 again on Monday for the next game, and I might not.

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Come on, it's the Europa League, a competition we've not been in, and we haven't been in its predecessor since 1995. After seeing UCL football year after year, a lot of the hardcore fans won't be prepared to turn up. Of course you'll still get the diehards who won't miss a game, but a lot of the regulars won't have been there.

Looking at the spare tickets when it went on sale was staggering, the Stretty was nearly empty, tonight was a chance for most fans to go who don't get an opportunity.

Ajax fans (Suarez chant aside) were very good tonight, sang all game, and to sing (in our language) your support is fecking shit, I found quite humorous.

That said, the Europa League isn't beneath us, but the attitude of English football to that competition is shocking.

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Why is it? What is there to get out of it? There's no prestige whatsoever in winning it, there's very, very little money in it, and the only reason an English club is in it, is for failing in the league or UCL, or winning a domestic competition. The big clubs know that securing UCL football is more important, and the smaller clubs know that avoiding relegation, and concentrating on the league is more important.

But your first sentence is true. One of the threads post Blackburn (H) was absolutely appalling, blaming us for the result.

At least our fans didn't come dressed as empty red seats. Atmosphere was always going to be shit, the competition is beneath us.

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Ridiculous comment, you should support the team not the competition. We were and are still in it, support the lads every step of the way. Ajax still supported their team like crazy even at three nil down when they looked certain to be out.

Absolutely dour, embarrassed to say I was a part of that tonight. A good 75% of the crowd there tonight have absolutely no right to step inside a football stadium ever again. The United "fans" have let the team down tonight.

After that dreck I'm seriously considering opting out of the home leg vs Bilbao, which is somewhat sad considering I'm going away there the following week. Having stood there watching a bunch of half-and-half scarf wearing, replica shirted, silent, programme waving IDIOTS heaping further shame on the reputation of United fans; I have absolutely no desire to part with £34 again on Monday for the next game, and I might not.

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Yes the fans should support the players no matter what, but the players are their to give 100% every game and they didn't. If the players aren't up for it then how the hell are fans going to be?

I don't blame the fans last night. The players should give the supporters something to fecking shout and sing about!

I disagree unitedbhoy, the fans were shit from the beginning. Deafening silence until we scored, a bit of an eruption but then silence again. We went ahead quickly and therefore had something to sing about. Ajax were down and out but kept going. After that we underperformed but the players were given such little support. It was frankly not good enough

Ridiculous comment, you should support the team not the competition. We were and are still in it, support the lads every step of the way. Ajax still supported their team like crazy even at three nil down when they looked certain to be out.

If anything it reflects badly on the club.

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Whats ridiculous? I didn't say we should abandon the team. I was there also btw.
But it was pretty obvious last night that fans and players alike were simply there for the sake of being there not anything to do with the Europa lge competition. Can moan all day about the fans but the fact is the players put in less of a shift.

Yes the fans should support the players no matter what, but the players are their to give 100% every game and they didn't. If the players aren't up for it then how the hell are fans going to be?

I don't blame the fans last night. The players should give the supporters something to fecking shout and sing about!

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That line right there sums up everything that's wrong with Manchester United's home "support". As fans we should be doing everything we can to cheer the team on and show our love for them regardless of how they're playing. It's not a fecking West End show or a movie, you don't show up, sit there and demand entertainment from the players before reacting to anything.

That line right there sums up everything that's wrong with Manchester United's home "support". As fans we should be doing everything we can to cheer the team on and show our love for them regardless of how they're playing. It's not a fecking West End show or a movie, you don't show up, sit there and demand entertainment from the players before reacting to anything.

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When entertainment becomes self-serving, you can kind of see why people resort to such behavior. It's as if they feel showing up is enough and obviously they expect to be entertained but I think it's even more fun to participate in creating an atmosphere

I disagree unitedbhoy, the fans were shit from the beginning. Deafening silence until we scored, a bit of an eruption but then silence again. We went ahead quickly and therefore had something to sing about. Ajax were down and out but kept going. After that we underperformed but the players were given such little support. It was frankly not good enough

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If they want a better atmosphere then lower the ticket prices dramatically for games like this, lower league cup opposition and the early champions league rounds.

I say this because speaking as an ST holder it doesn't half leave a sour taste in your mouth to be charged full wack for a game/competition the club itself is not taking seriously. If they want to charge full price then I expect the best possible team out, if they aren't and have no intention of putting that team out then lower the prices and allow less regular match goers to go, this = a generally more excitable person within the ground, a better atmosphere and from the club's point of view more people who have been and may well want to go again.

Being charged the same to watch the reserves lose to palace at home, or not look like they gave a shit against otelul galati as you are charged for Liverpool at home is annoying.

If they want a better atmosphere then lower the ticket prices dramatically for games like this, lower league cup opposition and the early champions league rounds.

I say this because speaking as an ST holder it doesn't half leave a sour taste in your mouth to be charged full wack for a game/competition the club itself is not taking seriously. If they want to charge full price then I expect the best possible team out, if they aren't and have no intention of putting that team out then lower the prices and allow less regular match goers to go, this = a generally more excitable person within the ground, a better atmosphere and from the club's point of view more people who have been and may well want to go again.

Being charged the same to watch the reserves lose to palace at home, or not look like they gave a shit against otelul galati as you are charged for Liverpool at home is annoying.

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DDG - First Choice keeper
Rafael - arguably our best right back
Jones and Smalling - our best CB combination in the circumstance. Good enough for Sir Alex to shell out a lot of money for.
Nani - arguably our best player
Young - big money signing
Clev - argued by many to be our best midfielder earlier this season
Hernandez - argued to be our second best strikers by some
Berbatov - 30 million pound player

Also in the program notes Ferguson said we are in it to win it. You can't really make out like we put out a poor team. Yes the ticket prices are high, but surely that's more reason to go and actually try and enjoy the game than to sit there and tolerate it.

On a more positive note from last night, OT was absolutely rocking. Thats the sort of atmosphere we should be creating everygame, and i was so proud that I was able to be a part of that.

The noise was deafening for most of the game and when SAF asked for more he bloody got it!

My friend who is a madrid fan (1st time at OT) said he had never seen anything like it he could not believe the noise that was made.

Good effort to everyone who was there and if your going to be there on Sunday make sure you bring your voices again, we need that sort of sound and atmosphere creating against the renties it will scare the sh!t out of them!